How do toy testing jobs work. What are the best ways to become a toy tester. How much can you earn as a toy tester. What skills are needed for successful toy testing.
Understanding the World of Toy Testing
Toy testing is not just a childhood fantasy come true; it’s a legitimate way to earn money while providing valuable feedback to toy companies. This unique opportunity allows families to engage in fun activities together while contributing to the development and safety of new toys.
Toy companies rely on testers to ensure their products meet quality standards and comply with the Consumer Product Safety Act. The feedback provided by testers helps manufacturers refine their designs and improve the overall play experience for children.
What Does Toy Testing Involve?
Toy testing methods can vary depending on the company and the specific product being evaluated. Generally, there are two main approaches:
- Home testing: Testers receive free toys to review in their own environment
- Lab testing: Participants visit the company’s toy lab for testing and certification
Both methods allow companies to observe their products in action and gather essential data on user experience, durability, and safety.
Strategies to Secure Toy Testing Opportunities
While toy testing jobs are highly sought after, there are several strategies you can employ to increase your chances of landing these coveted positions:
1. Join Toy Testing Recruitment Platforms
Becoming a member of online communities specifically targeted by toy companies for recruitment can significantly boost your chances of being selected as a tester. These platforms often notify their members first when new opportunities arise.
Some reputable toy testing recruitment websites include:
- Mattel Imagination Center
- Mega Blocks
- Discovery Toys
- Step 2
2. Enhance Your Online Presence
Building a strong social media presence can make you more attractive to toy companies looking for testers. Treat your personal social media accounts as a small business, regularly posting toy reviews in both written and video formats.
To boost your online presence, consider:
- Creating an active Pinterest page
- Starting a YouTube channel for video reviews
- Joining the Freecycle Network
Begin by reviewing toys you already own to build your portfolio and demonstrate your expertise.
3. Proactively Review Toys
Don’t wait for companies to approach you. Take the initiative to review their products without being solicited. This approach can help grab the attention of toy manufacturers and showcase your dedication to the field.
When crafting your reviews, be sure to include:
- Detailed descriptions of the toy’s size and color
- Appropriate age ranges for the product
- Unique features that stand out
- Assessment of the toy’s durability and overall quality
Consider joining review platforms or websites dedicated to providing feedback. This can lead to opportunities for free toys and potential attention from larger platforms like Amazon Vine.
4. Reach Out to Toy Companies Directly
While online opportunities are plentiful, don’t overlook the potential of local toy stores or major toy manufacturers. Submitting a request or resume directly to these companies can open doors to higher-level toy testing positions.
For local toy stores, consider speaking with the owner or manager to explore mutually beneficial arrangements. Remember, building relationships within your community can lead to valuable opportunities.
The Financial Aspects of Toy Testing
Many aspiring toy testers wonder about the earning potential in this unique field. While compensation can vary widely, it’s essential to understand the factors that influence toy tester salaries.
How Much Do Toy Testers Earn?
The income of a toy tester depends on several factors, including location, frequency of testing, and the complexity of the risk assessments performed. For example, in Los Angeles, annual salaries for toy testers typically range from $32,565 to $80,362.
It’s important to note that many toy testing opportunities may offer compensation in the form of free toys rather than monetary payment. However, these products can still represent significant value, especially for families with children.
Skills and Qualities of Successful Toy Testers
To excel in the world of toy testing, certain skills and qualities can set you apart from other candidates. Developing these attributes can enhance your chances of securing testing opportunities and providing valuable feedback to toy companies.
Key Skills for Toy Testers
- Attention to detail: Ability to notice small features and potential issues with toys
- Communication skills: Clearly articulate observations and opinions about the toys
- Creativity: Think outside the box to explore all aspects of a toy’s potential
- Patience: Thoroughly test toys over extended periods to assess durability and long-term appeal
- Child development knowledge: Understanding of age-appropriate play and developmental milestones
Qualities That Make Great Toy Testers
- Enthusiasm for play: Genuine enjoyment of toys and playtime activities
- Objectivity: Ability to provide unbiased feedback, even for toys you may not personally prefer
- Reliability: Consistently meeting deadlines and following testing protocols
- Adaptability: Willingness to test a wide variety of toys across different age ranges
- Safety-consciousness: Keen awareness of potential safety hazards in toys
The Impact of Toy Testing on Child Development
Beyond the financial benefits, toy testing can have a positive impact on child development. This unique experience offers children opportunities to enhance various skills and broaden their perspectives on play.
Cognitive Benefits
Engaging in toy testing can stimulate a child’s cognitive development in several ways:
- Critical thinking: Evaluating toys encourages children to analyze and assess different aspects of play
- Problem-solving: Figuring out how new toys work can enhance problem-solving abilities
- Creativity: Exploring various play scenarios with different toys fosters imaginative thinking
Social and Emotional Growth
Toy testing can also contribute to a child’s social and emotional development:
- Communication skills: Expressing opinions about toys helps children articulate their thoughts and feelings
- Confidence: Being valued for their input can boost a child’s self-esteem
- Empathy: Considering how other children might enjoy a toy cultivates empathetic thinking
Ethical Considerations in Toy Testing
As with any field involving children and product evaluation, toy testing comes with its own set of ethical considerations. It’s crucial for both parents and toy companies to approach this activity responsibly.
Balancing Fun and Work
While toy testing can be enjoyable, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance between play and work. Parents should ensure that testing activities don’t overwhelm their children or detract from other important aspects of childhood.
Honest Feedback
Testers must provide truthful and unbiased feedback, even if it means giving negative reviews. This integrity is crucial for maintaining the quality and safety of toys in the market.
Age-Appropriate Testing
Toy companies and parents must ensure that children are only testing toys appropriate for their age group. This consideration is vital for both safety and the accuracy of feedback.
The Future of Toy Testing in a Digital Age
As technology continues to evolve, the landscape of toy testing is also changing. Understanding these trends can help aspiring toy testers prepare for future opportunities in the field.
Integration of Digital and Physical Play
Many modern toys incorporate digital elements, blending physical play with app-based interactions. Toy testers may need to evaluate both the tangible toy and its digital components, requiring a broader set of skills.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Toys
As VR and AR technologies become more prevalent in the toy industry, testers may need to adapt to evaluating these immersive play experiences. This could involve assessing factors like user interface, motion sickness, and the balance between virtual and real-world interaction.
Sustainability in Toy Production
With growing concerns about environmental impact, toy companies are increasingly focusing on sustainable materials and production methods. Toy testers may need to consider factors like recyclability, durability, and eco-friendly packaging in their evaluations.
By staying informed about these trends and continuously developing their skills, toy testers can position themselves for exciting opportunities in this evolving field. Whether you’re a parent looking to engage your children in meaningful play or an individual passionate about toys and child development, toy testing offers a unique blend of fun, learning, and potential income.
Remember, the world of toy testing is not just about play – it’s about contributing to the development of safe, engaging, and innovative products that shape the experiences of future generations. By approaching this opportunity with enthusiasm, integrity, and a commitment to quality, you can make a real difference in the toy industry while enjoying the perks of being at the forefront of play.
Toy Tester: A Fun Way To Make Extra Money
Money / Jobs
5 min Read
By
Caitlyn Moorhead
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Though it may sound like a dream your inner child once told you about, toy testing is a legitimate way to not only entertain and engage your children but also make a little cash on the side. Sure it is fun, but toy companies also need this feedback to ensure the quality of their product is both enjoyed and meets toy safety standards. This is a great way for the whole family, young and young at heart alike, to earn money while playing.
How Does Toy Testing Work?
Whether your child is a toddler or a pre-teen, there is probably a toy testing gig out there for their age range. Test methods and applications will vary, but essentially, once you have been offered the toy testing gig, your child will either receive a free toy to review at home or be asked to come into the company’s toy lab for testing and certification.
This testing allows the company to see its product in action and that it complies with the Consumer Product Safety Act.
4 Ways To Get a Toy Testing Job
Getting these jobs can be slightly difficult due to many parents and children going after the coveted position of toy tester. However, there are ways to push your family in front of the pack to nab the next available opportunity. Here are four ways to better your chances of getting a toy testing job.
- Sign up for toy testing recruitment websites.
- Grow your social media and online presence.
- Start making toy reviews for companies.
- Contact toy companies directly.
1. Sign Up for Toy Testing Recruitment Websites
Becoming a member of an online community or website that companies specifically seek out when recruiting for toy testers will greatly increase your chances of eventually being one. Often these sites will email their members first with new opportunities. Some of the best websites and social media pages to follow or join include the following:
- Mattel Imagination Center
- Mega Blocks
- Discovery Toys
- Step 2
2.
Grow Your Social Media and Online Presence
Not only should you be actively following the toy companies you want to test for but also your personal social media pages should be treated like a small business where you regularly review toys through written and video reviews and have a solid following. A good way to start building your review platform is to review toys you already have in-house. Here are some areas to explore to enhance your social media and online presence:
- Have an active Pinterest page.
- Start a YouTube channel for your review videos.
- Join the Freecycle Network.
3. Start Making Toy Reviews for Companies
It may sound counterintuitive, but reviewing a company’s products, unsolicited to start, is a good way to grab a toy company’s attention. Be as thorough as possible and don’t tell them what you think they want to hear, as much of the quality control for the product is based on reliable feedback. The following are some details to include in your toy reviews:
- Size and color of the toy.
- The age range that works for the toy.
- Any unique features.
- Durability and quality of the toy.
You can also join review platforms or sites dedicated specifically to leaving feedback and reviews. This is a great way to get free toys to use and review, as well as get attention from such other platforms as Amazon Vine.
4. Contact Toy Companies Directly
Yes, online toy testing is more expansive, but don’t overlook local toy stores or even submit a request or resume to the major toy manufacturers directly. A foot in the door with either of these will definitely propel you to a higher stratosphere of toy tester and toy reviewer. If it’s your local toy store, have a chat with the owner or manager to see what would be mutually beneficial for both parties, and never underestimate a neighborhood influence.
Final Take
Whether it’s earning some extra money on the side or just the chance for some free toys to play with, becoming a toy tester can be both fun and rewarding.
It is a job the whole family can enjoy.
FAQ
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about becoming a toy tester.
- How much do toy testers make?
- How much a toy tester will make varies greatly depending on location and how often they are researching, testing and doing risk assessments for each product. For example, in Los Angeles, the majority of annual salaries within the toy tester jobs category currently range between $32,565 to $80,362.
- How does your child become a toy tester?
- There are many ways to increase the chances your child can become a toy tester. Here are some tips:
- -Sign up for toy testing recruitment websites.
- -Grow your social media and online presence.
- -Start making your own toy reviews for companies.
- -Contact toy companies directly.
- There are many ways to increase the chances your child can become a toy tester. Here are some tips:
- How does toy testing work?
- Once you have gotten the toy testing job, you or your child will either receive a free toy to review at home or be asked to come into the company’s toy lab for a certification and testing process.
- Once you have gotten the toy testing job, you or your child will either receive a free toy to review at home or be asked to come into the company’s toy lab for a certification and testing process.
Information is accurate as of March 7, 2023.
Our in-house research team and on-site financial experts work together to create content that’s accurate, impartial, and up to date. We fact-check every single statistic, quote and fact using trusted primary resources to make sure the information we provide is correct. You can learn more about GOBankingRates’ processes and standards in our editorial policy.
- ZipRecruiter.
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How to Become a Product Tester in 5 Easy Steps [2023]
One of the primary concerns of any consumer is purchasing something that doesn’t function as it should. It doesn’t matter if it’s an app, a pair of shoes, or a TV; if it doesn’t work, there’ll be a huge problem!
As such, product testing and the workers behind it are crucial to any business’s success. But how do you get there? How to become a product tester?
Getting into this field can be a little tricky, as there are specific qualities that you need to have first.
Luckily, this article will guide you through the essential steps to becoming a product tester, outlining the necessary skills and how you can excel in this role!
- An Overview of Product Testing: A Primer
- How Much Do Product Testers Make?
- What You’ll Need to Become a Product Tester [& Associated Costs]
- A Computer or a Smartphone
- Reliable Internet Connection
- Workspace Setup (Optional)
- Courses/Training (Optional)
- How Much Does it Cost to Become a Product Tester?
- Is it Hard to Become a Product Tester?
- How Long Does It Take To Become a Product Tester?
- How to Become a Product Tester in 5 Simple Steps
- Step 1: Choose Your Interest
- Step 2: Develop the Necessary Skills
- Step 3: Sign Up for Product Testing and Apply
- Step 4: Build Your Portfolio
- Step 5: Test and Provide Detailed Feedback
- Reasons to Consider Becoming a Product Tester
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Do Amazon Product Testers Get Paid?
- Does Adidas Pay Product Testers?
- Similar Gigs to Check Out
- Wrapping Up
An Overview of Product Testing: A Primer
A product tester is an individual who assesses and evaluates a product before it’s released to the public.
Most companies don’t pay product testers but let them enjoy free products or gift cards. Such companies include Influenster and Buzzagent. Some companies offer monetary payments, though, such as UserTesting.
Product testers aren’t limited to a particular field or industry. For example, they can be consumer product testers, such as cosmetics or food, or technology product testers.
The difference between such divisions mainly relies on particular skills and extra knowledge.
Once the worker finishes the product testing, his role shifts to communicating all the necessary information to the company. This includes any flaws found or problems encountered during the testing phase.
The best part about this job is that you don’t have to be in an office or lap to perform it. Most companies prefer a natural setting similar to that which a consumer would be in.
This means you could be getting paid to test products from home or anywhere convenient! It’s also a great option for those with anxiety, as they don’t have to deal with people or stressful environments.
How Much Do Product Testers Make?
As you probably know, the answer to this question differs from one place to another and from one industry to another.
According to Glassdoor, the average product tester earns around $45,000 annually. This is the equivalent of $3,750 monthly or $930 weekly. As a side hustle, this could be one of the best high-rated gig jobs!
What You’ll Need to Become a Product Tester [& Associated Costs]
Now that you know what a product tester is, let’s discuss how much you’ll need to become one!
To be clear, these costs differ from one type of industry to another. Still, you should generally expect the following costs:
A Computer or a Smartphone
In today’s world, almost everything is done via technology. That’s why you’ll need a computer at home or a smartphone—depending on the industry—to fulfill your duties.
A top-notch smartphone could cost anywhere from $400–$1,000, while a desktop can cost around $700–$1,000.
Reliable Internet Connection
A reliable internet connection is the other face of the point above. After all, you can’t send emails, access a website, or download files without a good internet connection! Thankfully, it only costs around $70–$80 monthly.
Workspace Setup (Optional)
When working in the products testing industry, you’ll discover that some companies don’t need you to work from an office. Basically, you can work from home.
But, of course, this means you’ll need a good workplace setup to test without any issues, which can cost you around $1,000–$1,500.
Courses/Training (Optional)
Finally, the best fact about this career is that you don’t need any official certificates or training to get the job. If you want to shine from the crowd, though, you can apply for a certification in a relative field, like quality assurance. This can cost anywhere from $150—$1500.
How Much Does it Cost to Become a Product Tester?
If you combine all the previous costs, you’ll find that becoming a product tester isn’t costly at all.
At best, it could cost you around $800; at worst, it could go up to $4,000.
These are all rough estimations, though. So don’t be surprised if you spend more or less than what’s mentioned.
Is it Hard to Become a Product Tester?
Becoming a product tester isn’t necessarily hard, but it isn’t easy either. Similar to other jobs, this requires effort, dedication, and, in some industries, a specific skill set.
The main issue with becoming a product tester is getting into the field itself. Because this job doesn’t require any specific educational qualification, it’s relatively accessible to beginners and anyone who wants to pursue it.
Unfortunately, that can result in a significantly competitive field with many individuals who may have more experience or training than you do.
How Long Does It Take To Become a Product Tester?
Because you don’t need any formal education or certificates, trying to become a product tester shouldn’t take you too long.
Yet, the duration still varies from one person to the next.
It can take you just a couple of days to become one or a few months.
It all depends on the résumé you want to build and how much experience you want to earn before officially calling yourself a product tester.
How to Become a Product Tester in 5 Simple Steps
Starting a career as a product tester is, thankfully, not as complicated as you may think. In fact, it’s relatively easy to pursue once you set your mind on the main element: Planning.
Without following a rigorous plan, you could end up wasting a lot of time and effort on irrelevant tasks. So, here’s an outline of what you need to do to become an excellent product tester:
Step 1: Choose Your Interest
Before you take any step, you need to ask yourself this: what do I like? Plus, where would I excel? Answering these two questions is vital, as there are numerous industries out there that can leave you feeling overwhelmed.
Moreover, do you know how many types of product testing exist? Well, according to Indeed, it’s around six!
Product testing isn’t merely a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it’s a detailed process that you can break down into the following categories:
- A/B testing
- Market testing
- User testing
- Concept testing
- QA testing
- Regression testing
Step 2: Develop the Necessary Skills
The irony behind this career is that the factor that made it so accessible,i.e., the unnecessary education, is also why it’s tricky to break into the profession.
You see, without preset knowledge, figuring out what you’ll need to give yourself an edge over the crowds is hard. Still, some skills have proven very useful in product testing.
For starters, there’s attention to detail. This little skill is one of the most crucial to have because your primary role is to find and report any issues.
Another essential skill is adaptability.
As a product tester, you won’t repeatedly deal with the same product. Instead, you’ll likely be dealing with a wide range of products, so you’ll need to adapt quickly.
Finally, you’ll need to develop your communication skills. That’s because you’ll need to express yourself clearly and effectively to deliver the right feedback and report any issue.
Step 3: Sign Up for Product Testing and Apply
After deciding what industry to pursue, it’s time to start signing up. Luckily for you, many places offer such opportunities.
You can go on sites such as uTest, Pinecone Research, American Consumer Opinion, or even Survey Junkie.
Another way you can join the product testing industry is by heading directly to a manufacturer’s site. Over there, there’s a chance you’ll find a page to sign up for product testing.
Once you’ve signed up, apply for all the tests that pique your interest.
Step 4: Build Your Portfolio
One of the best ways to prove yourself in a new career is to build your portfolio.
You need to apply to as many product testing opportunities as possible to achieve this.
This can help diversify your portfolio, which helps show companies that you’re serious and willing to put in the effort to improve yourself.
You must also maintain professionalism by always meeting deadlines and following instructions. Doing this guarantees that companies return to you for their product testing needs.
Finally, once you’ve established yourself as a trustworthy product tester, start specializing!
Specializing means honing your attention on a specific area. By doing this, you’ll be able to build an even more in-depth portfolio that helps you stand out from the crowd!
Step 5: Test and Provide Detailed Feedback
Finally, to become an excellent product tester, you must provide detailed feedback on everything you test. Fortunately, this is much easier to accomplish than you might think!
The first step you have to follow is thoroughly understanding the product.
You don’t want to miss something only because you didn’t read the instructions thoroughly.
After that, you can start tweaking the product, observing, and writing down any changes or improvements you notice.
Lastly, be as specific as possible. Offering vague feedback guarantees you lose the current product testing opportunity and any future one.
Reasons to Consider Becoming a Product Tester
Taking up product testing as a career can be beneficial for several reasons. These include the following:
- Free products: A bonus that many product testers out there enjoy is the free products! You see, after you test the product and write your feedback, you get to keep most, if not all, of the samples.
- Straightforward: One of the most attractive factors about product testing is that you don’t have to pursue any college education or training. It only requires someone with good communication skills and attention to detail.
- Extra income: Taking up product testing as a side hustle can be an excellent way to support yourself. So not only do you keep most of the products, but you get paid as well!
- Flexible workflow: Most product testing opportunities don’t restrict you to a specific schedule or office. It’s the type of work that can be done at night or morning, depending on your preference and schedule.
So not only do you keep most of the products, but you get paid as well!Frequently Asked Questions
Do Amazon Product Testers Get Paid?
Unfortunately, you won’t get any monetary compensation for being an Amazon product tester. They have an invitation-only program called Amazon Vine Program, from which they select specific individuals for that testing. Amazon sends the free product for testing and nothing else.
Does Adidas Pay Product Testers?
Just like Amazon, Adidas doesn’t pay its product testers any money. They offer the product testing opportunity, provide the product for testing, and nothing more. Many people claim to be getting paid, but these are all false rumors.
Similar Gigs to Check Out
If you don’t feel that the product testing industry is the one for you, check out the following gigs:
- How to Become a Secret Shopper: How do you feel about getting paid for visiting stores and shopping around? It sounds made up, right? Well, you better check out our guide here!
- How to Become a Food Critic: If you’re an avid food lover and a critical taster, you’re in luck! Our guide here is your ladder to a better income and a great job!
- How to Become a Video Game Tester: They always said that playing video games is a waste of time. Now, you can start getting paid just to play! Figure out how by checking our article on the topic.
Now, you can start getting paid just to play! Figure out how by checking our article on the topic.Wrapping Up
Now that you’ve reached the end of the guide, do you know how to become a product tester? We sure hope so!
To give you a quick recap, being a product tester is one of the most accessible careers you can pursue. It doesn’t require any formal qualification, nor does it cost a lot.
The only thing you need is a proper plan to follow and some basic information about the industry you like. Finally, we hope that this guide helped you become the product tester you want to be!
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.
How many testers does your project need? – Quality Lab
Many project managers are looking for a universal answer to the question: “What should be the ratio of testers and developers”? In some companies, it comes down to the approval of regulations: for example, the number of testers should be 40% of the development team, or there should be one tester per developer.
To justify this ratio, some universal statistics for the industry is often selected. Is there an optimal recipe?
There is no right ratio
Universal answers are always fraught with inaccuracy. Imagine: you come to the doctor and start complaining to him about your problem. He, without listening to the end, writes out the medicine:
– What is your weight? 80? So, according to the standard, you need to drink 2 tablets a day.
– But wait, doctor, I don’t have a cold, but a broken leg!
– Do not distract, we have a standard. Next!
By reducing the cost of diagnosing, assessing the situation and finding the right solution for you, you are likely to lose much more time later on the inevitable problems in this case.
When saving money is expensive
If your “standard” doesn’t fit your project and you’re recruiting too many testers on your team, that’s not the worst thing. As a rule, much worse is the lack of people. A late-found bug can delay the release of the entire project, and a defect in commercial operation sometimes leads not only to extra costs (for corrections, technical support, releases of hotfixes), but also to the inevitable loss of reputation.
And most importantly, although not always noticeable, is the impact on the overall productivity of the team. According to the Theory of Constraints (and also in accordance with common sense), the productivity of the entire production chain is determined by the productivity of the weakest link, which means that the total development speed will rest on the least productive stage.
Let’s say the test team doesn’t have time to do their job. What then does the development team do with the remaining excess resources? As a rule, it partially compensates for the lack of testing! As a result, developers have to spend a lot of effort on additional activities. We may face several options for such labor costs:
- if testers raise bugs too late (a week or more after the build is ready), it takes significantly longer to fix;
- if testers create errors that are not clear enough, developers themselves spend time figuring out and localizing problems;
- if customers find bugs in the software already received, a significant part of the development team is involved in bug fixing, patching and technical support.
It turns out that testing tasks slow down the whole process. By saving on testing, which is cheaper than the development process, we lose development productivity!
Bigger is not better
Many project managers still believe in the design triangle:
“Would you like to do something better, more? Either hire more people or extend the timeline.” Fortunately, this model is defective. It does not take into account either the qualifications of the team or the specifics of the work process. When you thoughtlessly add resources to a project, control is lost and excess white noise is added.
I was personally involved in a project to save a major software company with a worldwide reputation. The problem at the entrance sounded like a disaster: “We missed the release date of the product for a year and a half. There are already more than 100 people in the team, but every day we find more and more problems, and the release date is delayed further and further.
” In the first month, we reduced the project team to 40 people, and two months later we had a successful release.
How to find your own “correct” ratio?
If there are too few testers, their problems fall on the shoulders of development. If too much, control is lost, distracting “white noise” is generated, and this also negatively affects the overall design performance. Forming your unique effective team will require process, product and team analysis. Below we will consider one of the possible algorithms for your actions.
Step 1. First we build the process, then we expand the team.
Before joining a team, make sure your employees are productive enough . The 5M technique from Kaizen and the Current Reality Tree from Theory of Constraints will help you with this. First, you must evaluate the optimality of the current processes and only after that decide on the expansion of the team, if necessary. Sometimes you can get a completely opposite result – the number of employees needs to be reduced!
Step 2.
We take into account the criticality of the software product.
The ratio of testers to developers largely depends on the importance of the products you develop . The depth of testing of a browser toy and software in avionics is significantly different: the cost of an error is growing – therefore, the price of its detection is also growing. It becomes insufficient to find only obvious problems. It is necessary to check all conceivable and unthinkable situations, creating models and making sure that they are completely covered.
In non-critical software, minor errors are often not corrected at all, and therefore their search and registration does not make sense. The higher the degree of responsibility of the project, the more attention is paid to the little things: there are no “small” mistakes in such tasks.
I once worked on a team testing a low-level real-time operating system used in the space industry. There were 7-8 testers per developer, and we carefully covered each level with tests: from interaction with hardware and mathematical functions to integration and system functioning.
Step 3. Consider supported environments.
Requirements for supported environments significantly affect the cost of testing, and to a lesser extent, development . We see a clear example of such dependence in the development of Android applications. A huge number of phone manufacturers, different versions of Android, alternative firmware, skins and settings of the system itself give an infinite number of combinations. Theoretically, development for them is carried out in accordance with the general guideline. In practice, in specific conditions, unexpected defects are possible. You can learn about them only empirically through testing. To find a bug associated with a particular firmware of a particular hardware, it may be necessary to check a hundred other valid combinations. Development will be involved only if a problem is discovered, and testing – in any case.
Step 4. We take into account the complexity of the product.
The cost of testing grows exponentially depending on its complexity .
It is important for us to check not only the operation of individual operations or the processing of specific data, but also the connections with other scripts or objects in our system. Combinatorics in testing comes into play. Let’s say there are 3 fields in the customer’s card, each of which takes 3 possible values - these are 9 possible combinations. Let’s add a fourth field with a similar business logic. For the developer, this will result in a 33% increase in labor costs. But in testing, we already get 27 combinations instead of 9– and, consequently, an increase in costs not by 33%, but by 200%.
The phenomenon of regression testing should not be overlooked from the analysis. Let’s say we have a mature, complex product with a codebase of one and a half million lines of code. The developer makes a small change, and… What to check? How do you know that these edits didn’t break anything?
As an example, I will give one more case from my practice. Once I worked as a tester in a web company that develops fairly simple sites that do not contain serious functionality (90% of developments are ordinary “business cards”).
My part-time job was enough to check the results of the work of 30 developers and layout designers, without missing a single serious mistake. Simple products and very easy to test.
Step 5. We take into account links with external products.
The more integrations in the system, the more testers are required . Errors can be contained both in third-party libraries and in the wrong format of data received from the supplier. Developers don’t need to worry about this until testers confirm that there is a problem. Finally, there are situations where bugs are not found, but full integration testing is still necessary to be completely sure of this.
One day, I was given a revision that was completed by a programmer in less than a day for testing. It contained at most 100 lines of code that ensured the transfer of data to an external task management system through its API. For 3 (three!) days of testing, I got about 40 serious functional defects. All of them were caused by incorrect operation of the external API or its outdated documentation.
The developer had to bypass these errors with “crutches” on our part.
Conclusions
It is very easy to come up with some kind of universal number and follow it. Choosing the best ratio for your project is much more difficult. If you want the project to be not just “normal”, but truly successful, you will have to work hard! The best results will be achieved if you first analyze the current tasks, implement the optimal process, and only then make a decision on the number of testers and developers. All sorts of “only right” attitudes and standards can only lead you away from an effective solution.
How to organize testing to speed up and stabilize product releases. Part 2 / Habr
The tester has many opportunities to improve the quality of the product and make the team work more comfortable. The main thing is to discuss any changes with the team and implement only what is convenient and useful for everyone.
My name is Victoria Dezhkina, I am responsible for testing a number of products at X5 Retail Group’s Big Data Directorate.
In the last part of the article, I began to talk about how we changed the processes in the product team “Procurement automation system for retail chains”. Product releases were constantly delayed by several days and often came out “raw”. We changed the order of code laying out and task scheduling, which allowed us to reduce the release cycle by several days, but we still had to develop an optimal format for setting and accepting tasks, set test points in the release cycle, and learn how to prioritize tasks to fix defects.
Format for setting and accepting tasks and defects
The way the task is set largely determines how quickly and correctly it will be completed. Tasks can be described in different ways, for example, using user stories that reflect the needs of the end user of the system. It sounds something like this: “the user wants to receive a report on pressing the green button.”
The disadvantage of this approach is that it does not explain what will be “under the hood” of this solution.
User stories leave developers too much freedom, and sometimes this becomes a problem: the team starts to reinvent the wheel or cuts something too laborious. And considering that in conditions of rapid development there is almost never enough time for full documentation, with this approach you get mysterious code that makes it very difficult for new developers to integrate into the product.
We discussed several options for designing tasks and defects and settled on a “hybrid” approach: use case + technical subtasks. The business customer writes a use case, that is, describes the options for using the new functionality, and the analyst and the tester, on the basis of this, compose technical subtasks for the developers. In the description of the task in Jira, we add a use case from which it is made, or a test case that allows you to reproduce the error, while the name and description of the main task remain “human-understandable”.
Let’s see, for example, what is inside the defect with the name “The user does not understand how errors that occur when choosing a purchase bid” are processed.
The description of the problem contains:
- a case by which the error can be reproduced;
- real and expected result;
- subtasks for the backend and frontend with clear instructions for developers on what needs to be fixed. “Backend: for this API, give the appropriate response to the frontend” + a matrix of options showing which responses should be in each of the possible situations. “Frontend: for this API, depending on the response from the back, issue the corresponding error text” + a matrix of options.
When a developer finishes his subtask, he simply closes it. If all subtasks are closed, the defect is returned for retest. If additional problems are found, the corresponding subtask is created again.
The corresponding defect description rule is obtained:
- Create a task with a description of a functional problem, a case for reproducing the error, and a link to the history within which the defect was found.
- Add two subtasks for the backend and frontend to the task. Subtasks on the frontend contain additional information: on which page, in what environment the defect is located, which API or component does not work correctly, what exactly needs to be fixed, and a link to the use case with a description of the correct behavior. Subtasks on the backend contain a description of the environment in which the error was found, what API it is, what parameters are passed, what response comes in, the reason why the implemented logic is considered incorrect with a link to the documentation, as well as indications of what specifically needs to be changed.
We also abandoned the formation of AC (acceptance criteria) on our product, since at the planning stage we discuss not only what we develop and test, but also how.
What did it give? This approach allowed us to understand at any time what was wrong with the functionality on the part of the user, at what stage the work on the defect was, and depending on the load on the back and front, to prioritize subtasks to the same defect in different ways.
As a result, even before the start of development, the whole team understands what part of each task will affect him personally, and at the end each task contains information: how it was developed, how it was tested, whether there is documentation on it, and also what was corrected in it in the process development.
This approach is used only on our product, because it turned out to be the most convenient for us. Other products of the X5 Big Data Directorate use their own schemes: for example, User stories with AC.
It would seem that our version does not contribute to speeding up development at all, because it requires more steps to get started. But it’s not.
We have organized the process in such a way that testing is carried out in parallel with the development. Thanks to this, the developer does not sit idle while the tester works out and localizes the task as much as possible. Plus, we always see which particular developer worked on the task, how he implemented it – this allows us to understand in the future which of the developers will quickly cope with new similar problems.
The logic is simple: the less a developer does things that are not directly related to writing code, the better, and the most accurate localization of a defect allows you to think deeper about possible links and problems caused by a specific error.
The question may also arise whether the rules that we have established in our product interfere with the formation of uniform standards for testing and development in the department. Not really: the general rules of the department determine what the task should contain by a certain stage of development, and we meet these requirements, we just work on the task at earlier stages.
Test moments
We discussed for a long time the question at what stage to conduct testing. At first, the idea was to check each individual issue in the local branch, but with this approach, it would be impossible to check how these issues work together, and their conflicts would be discovered only at the stage of the compiled release, when it is too late to change anything.
Therefore, we agreed to test each task separately, but on one test bench. At first, we wanted to roll out several tasks at once, but above I have already told you what risks this idea carries. One is much faster. This is a well-known effect: reducing the number of parallel tasks does not slow down, but rather speeds up the process. In Kanban, for example, there is such a thing as a WIP limit (WIP is work in progress), which limits the number of tasks that each role can perform simultaneously.
In the end, we have established five points where testers are actively involved in the development process:
- At the documentation stage. We make sure that there are no tasks that conflict with the logic of what has already been done, we fix the details of the implementation of each task.
- At the stage of setting the task. We discuss with the analyst all possible cases related to the task and take them into account when forming the task
- At the planning stage. We talk about how the planned implementation can hook the related functionality and what problems it can bring. We coordinate all critical defects with the product and complete the sprint.
- In preparation for release. We iteratively check each task on a test bench, and on the day before the planned release, we collect all the tasks together and check them on one bench.
- After release. Checking how the release works on production.
We talk about how the planned implementation can hook the related functionality and what problems it can bring. We coordinate all critical defects with the product and complete the sprint.At the start, when we had releases every 2 weeks, the scheme of work looked like this:
Now (release once a week):
When a lot of different data is sent to the API between the backend and frontend, it is not always clear what they are for and how they interact. Because of this, breakdowns can occur on the frontend. For example, the calculation number, demand cal, is transmitted from the back. Nominally, this is one parameter, but to carry out the calculation, along with it, eight more fields should be “attracted” from the back.
If you do not pass them along with the cost estimate number, this operation will not be performed on the frontend.
To avoid such situations, we began to describe the transmitted parameters, indicating them in the comments to the subtask for developing API in Jira, which explained what data the back and front would exchange. We tried to keep descriptions of all APIs in the Swagger framework, but with its help, when automatically generating documentation, it was not possible to convey to the frontend what exactly the backend would do with the parameters passed. Therefore, we agreed that if we are talking about a parameter that is not just written on the back, but uses other parameters, it is necessary to describe its purpose in the task.
We also began to control the designation of variables so that all fields in the same type of API would be standardized. Our product consists of microservices, and each can use its own field names. In one field with the name of the supplier, there can be supplier, in another – supplierID, in the third name, and so on.
Passing this data into a single frontend component can get tricky, so we went through all the parameters and started to standardize all the variable names. To do this, we collected a summary table of all current designations, a table of all front components and the variables they use (with which the front-end developer helped a lot) and checked them. Now all new APIs receive standard variable names, and old APIs are corrected when tasks arise for their improvement.
Accelerated work on fixing defects
At the stage of setting the task, the priorities are determined by the business customer – he knows better what and in what order is needed for the development of the product. But after rolling out to dev, when there are tasks to fix defects, the tester commands their priorities.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to urgently change the priorities of these tasks – for example, we find a minor defect on the back, without fixing which the frontend team cannot start fixing.
Previously, in such situations, we immediately went to the developers and asked them to change the priority of tasks, but this distracted them. Therefore, we agreed that we will contact only at certain times – after the code freeze, up to 5 times a day. What did it give? We stopped reducing developer productivity with sudden requests, got rid of downtime, and increased the time for analysts to work on tasks.
Moreover, due to the fact that tasks no longer appear spontaneously for developers, we always know who has what load, who has worked on a task before and will be able to complete it faster. As a result, we understand much better whether we will have time to prepare the release on schedule or not.
These measures, together with a unified code rollout logic for dev, release and prod, have reduced the defect fixing period from 3 days to 3-4 hours.
Results
During the 9 months of operation of our Procurement Automation product, we managed to reduce the release cycle from 2.
5 weeks to 1 week with the possibility of daily rollout, significantly increasing the stability of releases.
What has changed:
- We got rid of the need to fix defects after development, as we brought this work to the stage of preparing tasks to the maximum.
- Reduced the defect correction period from 3 days to 3-4 hours.
- We got the ability to roll out releases “on command”. Now we can get together on any day, roll out tasks, and by the evening everything will be ready and debugged.
- Increased process transparency for all process participants: now all developers and testers of the team understand what is happening at the moment, who is busy with what tasks, how much more time is needed to develop and fix errors, etc.
BONUS: we managed to reduce the stress level in the team (I hope), and thanks to the coordinated work of the team (thanks to the delivery), it was easy to switch to remote work 🙂
Implementing these improvements, we adhered to several rules: and developers are in the same boat (repeat this like a mantra!), so the first thing a tester needs to do is get along with the team and find out what worries them the most, enlist their support.
